Stroke selecting mechanism for transfer apparatus



M. MORGAN June 13, 1967 STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 18, 1966 awn Q 9 ON 9 INVENTOR. MYLES MORGAN BY W ATTORNEYS M. MORGAN June 13, 1967 STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS s Sheets-Sheet Filed March 18, 1966 INVENTOR.

MYLES MORGAN Ja/h i ;'W

ATTORNEYS June 13, 1967 M. MORGAN 3,324,992

' STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed March 18, 1966 e Sheets-Shet s as 44 i;

880 I020 73 4o 74 960 0 1 o 1 9a u mm: 04 80 0/ lozbyl 98b INVENTOR.

MYLES MORGAN BY ATTORNEYS M. MORGAN June 13, 1967 STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 18, 1966 INVENTOR.

MYLES MORGAN cwwgwz ATTORNEYS M. MORGAN June 13, 1967 STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 18, 1966 FIGB INVENTOR. MYLES MORGAN ATTORNEYS M. MORGAN 3,324,992

STROKE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER APPARATUS June 13, 1967 Filed March 18, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v INVENTOR. MYLES MORGAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent This invention is concerned generally with apparatus for transferring elongated elements such as round bars,

channels, angles and the like laterally from one location to another, and more particularly to a means for changing the horizontal stroke of the apparatus to insure adequate spacing between the elements being transferred. In connection with the following description, reference will be made to the invention as related to the carry-over cooling bed of a merchant mill, but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other analogous situations where elongated elements are to be maintained in spaced relationship while being laterally shifted.

The hot rolled product of a conventional merchant mill is normally carried on a run-on table from the final finishing stand to the cooling bed. The cooling bed is comprised basically of a movable transfer rack operating in conjunction with a fixed rack, the latter being made up of spaced support members extending laterally from the runon table towards a second parallel run-off table.

In operation, a kick-off mechanism which again may be of any conventional design, operates to transfer individual hot rolled elements laterally from the run-on table onto the adjacent receiving end of the fixed cooling bed rack. Thereafter, the elements are shifted laterally towards the aligning rollers and shufile bars by the movable transfer rack operating through successive strokes. While being laterally shifted along the fixed rack, the individual elements are preferably kept in spaced relationship in order to promote bar straightness and to facilitate cooling.

Athough carryover cooling beds of the above-described type have been found to operate in a generally satisfactory manner, experience has indicated that problems are at times encountered in maintaining the desired spaced relationship between individual elements, particularly when the type or size of the product being produced by the mill undergoes a change. This is due primarily to the fact that the transfer racks of conventional carryover cooling beds operate with a fixed horizontal stroke. With such an arrangement, the cooling bed can be designed at the out set to effectively handle any one type of product, such as for example, small and medium sized round bars. However, should the mill subsequently be adjusted to roll different products such as angles or channels, then the fixed stroke of the cooling bed may not be sufiicient to insure adequate spacing between each individual element being cooled. In an efiort to alleviate this problem, it has been the practice in the past to initially design the cooling beds with carryover racks operating through a generous horizontal stroke of suflicient length to insure adequate spacing between the largest of the products to be produced by the mill. This, however results in the smaller diameter products which arrive in faster succession being shifted across the cooling bed at a rate far in excess of that actually required to maintain adequate spacing therebetween, while at the same time reducing the cooling time.

These disadvantages have now been overcome in a novel manner by the present invention, an object of Which is to improve the operation of transfer apparatus embodying fixed and movable racks by providing means for selecting the horizontal stroke of the movable rack to accommodate elongated elements of varying sizes and cross-sectional configurations.

See

Another object of the present invention is to insure proper spacing between elongated elements being laterally shifted by the movable rack of a transfer apparatus, regardless of the size and/or type of element being handled.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a carryover cooling Ibed embodying the concepts of the present invention, with a portion of the fixed rack broken away;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on a reduced scale taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the movable transfer rack in an elevated position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the stroke selecting mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 44 of FIGS. 3 and 5;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the means utilized to operate the stroke selecting mechanism; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the horizontal stroke selection capable of being achieved with the mechanism illustrated in the preceding drawings.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein are best shown general features of the invention, one section of a carry-over cooling =bed generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 is shown extending laterally between a run-on table 12 and conventional aligning rollers 14 and shuflle bars 15. The shuffle bars 15 are operated in a known manner through eccentrics and gearing in housing 17 by a drive shaft 19 leading from a remotely positioned drive motor (not shown). The shuffle bars have been shown together with aligning rollers 14 and run-on table 12 for the purpose of orientation and it is to be understood that these pieces of equipment form no part of the present invention;

Hot rolled stock shown for illustrative purposes in FIGS. 1 and 2 as comprising round bars 16 is carried on therollers 20 of run-on table 12 from the final finishing stand of the mill to a point adjacent the receiving end 18 of cooling bed 10. The rollers 20 are driven by electric motors 22.

Cooling bed 10 is made up in part of a fixed rack having a plurality of support members 24 held in spaced parallel relationship relative to the mill floor 26 by means of underlying transverse stmctural members 28a and 28b. The upper edge of each support member 24 is provided with a series of teeth 30a and 32a of two different heights allternating to form successive element retaining notches ,3 a.

Cooling bed 10 further includes a movable transfer rack 33 having a plurality of carryover members 34 located between fixed support members 24 and interconnected by means of underlying structural braces 36 and 38 to thus provide a rigid frame assembly. The upper edge of each carryover member 34 is also provided with 'a series of teeth 30b and 32b of two different heights, which teeth alternate to form element retaining notches 31b therebetween. Transfer rack 33 is supported in an operative position relative to the support members 24 of the fixed rack by a linkage arrangement which includes both operating links 40 and elevational links 42. The operating links 40 are pivotally connected at their upper ends as at 44 to the structural braces 38, their lower ends in turn being provided with yoke assemblies 46 having eccentrics 48 rdtatably journaled therein. The eccentrics are carried by a crankshaft 50 which is powered in a conventional man ner by a motor (not shown) operating through a drive shaft 51 and suitable gearing contained within housing 52. The elevational links 42 are also pivotally connected at their upper ends as at 54 to structural braces 38, their lower ends being pivotally connected as at 56 to bell cranks 58. The bell cranks are pivotally supported as at 60 and are connected by intermediate rods 52 to the eccentrics 48.

During operation of the mill, stock on the run-on table 12 is initially shifted laterally into the first notches 30a of the fixed support members 24 by the operation of kickoff arms 64 mounted for eccentric movement on an operating crank shaft 66. Shaft 66 may be powered in any conventional manner such as for example a motor 68 driving through suitable gearing in housings 70 and 71 and an intermediate vertically disposed drive shaft 72. After being deposited in the first notch of the fixed support racks, each piece of stock is thereafter shifted laterally into succeeding notches along the support members 24 by the movable transfer rack 33 operating through successive strokes under the influence of rotating eccentrics 48. As each piece of stock arrives at the delivery end 21 of the cooling bed, it is aligned by aligning rollers 14 and transferred by shufile bars 15 to the adjacent run-off table (not shown). These general features of cooling bed which have been discussed thus far are for the most part conventional. The new and inventive features which are contained in the stroke adjustment mechanisms generally indicated by the reference numeral 73 and which act in combination with the linkage arrangement supporting movable rack 33 will now be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a stroke selecting mechanism 73 directly adjacent each operating link 40. By referring to FIGS. 3-5, it can be seen that each of the stroke selecting mechanisms is comprised basically of a stationary support structure including a housing assembly 74 standing on legs 76. Housing assembly 74 includes two side plates 78a and 78b held together by means of bolts 80. The center portions of side plates 78a and 78b are spaced apart to define a vertically disposed passageway 82 containing a slide member 84. The slide member may be provided along either edge with replaceable hardened shoes 86 which ride within grooves 88.

Side'plates 78a and 78b are each further provided with vertically aligned upper and lower locking apertures 88:: and 88b. The upper locking apertures 88a are relatively narrow at the top and increase gradually in width to thus provide a somewhat enlarged lower area 90. The lower locking apertures 88b provide basically the reverse configuration with a narrow portion at the bottom increasing gradually in width to terminate at an enlarged upper area 92. In addition to the locking apertures 88a and 88b in side plates 78a and 781), the slide member 84 is also provided wth elongated horizontally disposed upper and lower slots 94a and 94b.

Each operating link 40 is connected to the housing assembly 74 of the adjacent stroke selecting mechanism 73 by two interemediate links 96a and 96b. More specifically, the intermediate links are provided at one end with yoke members 97a and 97b pivotally attached to the operating link at vertically spaced points located intermediate the ends thereof by means of transverse pins 98a and 98b. The other ends of the intermediate links are each similarly provided with yoke members 100a and 10% which straddle the side plates 78a and 78b of housing 74. Upper yoke member 100a carries a transversely extending bolt 102a which passes through the upper locking apertures 88a in the housing side plates and the upper slot 94a in slide member 84. By the same token, the lower yoke member 10% carries a second transversely extending bolt 102b which passes through lower locking apertures 88b and the lowermost horizontal slot 94b in slide member 84. The transversely extending bolts 102a and 102b may further be provided with hearing sleeves 104 arranged to rotatably engage the edges of the respective slots and locking apertures through which each bolt extends.

Slide member 84 is alternately adjustable within housing assembly 74 between a lowered position as shown by the full lines in the drawings and a raised position 84a indicated in dotted in FIG. 5. This vertical adjustment may be accomplished in any number of ways, preferably by the operating mechanism 106 shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 6. Operating mechanism 106 is comprised basically of a rotatable crank shaft 108 connected through a suitable gearing arrangement contained in housing 110 to a drive motor 112. Crank shaft 108 carries a, number of eccentrics 114, one being located beneath each stroke selection mechanism 73. Each eccentric 114 is journaled for rotation within a yoke assembly 116 having an arm 118 extending upwardly therefrom. The arm 118 passes through a hole 120 in the bottom 122 of a sleeve member 124, the latter being pivotally connected at its upper end as at 126 to a depending extension 128 on slide member 84. The upper end of arm 118 terminates in a circular disc 130 which subdivides the interior of sleeve member 124 into upper and lower chambers 132a and 132b. Coiled compression springs 134 and 134b are contained respectively within upper and lower chambers 132a and 132b, the latter mentioned spring having arm 118 extending axially therethrough.

With the above arrangement, rotation of crank shaft 108 to place the eccentric 114 in the lowermost position shown in FIG. 6 will result in arm 118 being pulled downwardly, thus causing the lowermost coiled spring 134b to be placed in compression with the result that the entire sleeve member 124 will be forced downwardly. This downward force will cause the slide member 84 in housing assembly 74 to be pulled downwardly and held in its lowermost position. By the same token, rotation of crank shaft 108 through will result in the eccentric 114 being rotated to the uppermost position, thus causing arm 118 to be moved axially upwardly within sleeve member '124. This upward movement will relieve the compressive force on lower coiled spring 1341) while the same time forcing disc 130 upwardly against spring 1340. This action will result in an upward force being exerted on sleeve member 124 tending to push the slide member 84 to the uppermost position 84a shown in dotted in FIG. 5.

In view of the above, it should now be apparent that when the slide member 84 is pulled downwardly to the lowermost position, yoke member 10% on intermediate link 96b will pivot about a fixed axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of cross bolt 102b. This is due to the fact that the outermost bearing sleeves 104 on bolt 102b will be held downwardly within the narrow portions of the locking apertures 88b in housing side plates 78a and 78b. Thus, a point 98b on operating link 40 will be pivotally secured by means of an intermediate link 96b to an adjacent fixed axis. At the same time, limited horizontal as well as pivotal movement of the yoke member 100a on upper connecting rod 96a will be permitted due to the fact that the bearings 104 on upper 'cross bolt 102a will be free to move horizontally within the space provided by the upper slot 94a in slide member 84 and the enlarged portions 90 of upper locking apertures 88a.

By shifting the slide member 84 to the uppermost position indicated in dotted at 84a in FIG. 5, the opposite result will be achieved. Mort particularly, the outermost bearing sleeves 104 on upper cross bolt 102a will now be pushed upwardly into the narrow portions of upper locking notches 88a, thus placing the upper yoke member 100a of connecting rod 96a in a pivotally secured position about a fixed axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of bolt 102a. The upward movement of slide member 84 will also free the lower yoke member 10% for combined horizontal and pivotal movement due to the fact that the bearings 104 on lower cross bolt 102b will now be free to move horizontally within the space provided by the lower slot 94b in slide member 84 and the enlarged portions 90 of lower locking apertures 88b. Thus, when the slide member 84 is raised to its uppermost position, a single point 98a on the adjacent operating link 40 will be pivotally secured by means of an intermediate connecting link 96a to an adjacent fixed axis.

The principle upon which adjusting mechanism 73 operates to change the stroke of transfer rack 33 will now be explained with further reference to FIG. 7. As eccentric 48 rotates, the lower end of operating link 40 will be caused to rotate through a circle indicated diagrammatically at c. This rotation will cause link 40 to be reciprocated vertically through a distance a' equal to the diameter D of circle c. The diameter D of circle is of course equal to the throw of eccentric 48. With the slide member 84 of stroke selecting mechanism 73 shifted to its upward position (indicated diagrammatically in FIG. at 84a), any horizontal movement of link 40 at point 98a will be prevented due to the fact that the intermediate link 96a is now pivotally connected at its opposite end via yoke member 100a to the fixed axis of cross bolt 102a. Thus, with this selected position the horizontal stroke of the upper end of link member 40 will be limited to a distance s which distance is equal to the center distance between any two adjacent notches on either the fixed or movable racks. The horizontal stroke s is ideal for transferring small diameter elongated elements such as the round bars 16 shown in FIG. 1 from notch to notch along the fixed support members of the cooling bed.

The result achieved by pushing slide member 84 to the upward position may be described somewhat differently by pointing out that with this adjustment operating link 40 becomes pivotally connected at a vertically movable point 98a located between its upper and lower ends. This pivotal connection causes the upper end of the operating link as well as the movable rack 33 to which it is connected at 44 to operate through a maximum vertical stroke d and a minimum horizontal stroke s the net result being that the movable rack actually travels an eliptical path 12 The other end of rack 33 which is supported by elevational link 42, is also raised through the same vertical stroke d by virtue of the movement being imparted to link 42 by the rotating eccentric 48 acting through linke 62 and bell crank 58. With the notches 31b of the carryover rack 33 aligned laterally with the notches 31a on the support members 24 of the fixed rack, the horizontal dimension s of the eliptical path p can be adjusted by properly locating point 98a on link 40 so as to cause elements engaged by the carryover rack to be moved along the upper half of path p from one notch 31a to the next along the fixed support members 24.

As previously mentioned, the merchant mill may be adjusted to roll different kinds of stock, such as for example the channels 136 shown in FIG. 3. Where this is the case, a larger horizontal stroke than s will be required to insure proper spacing between the channels. This may be accomplished with selecting mechanism 73 by simply moving slide member 84 to its downward position. When this is accomplished, the vertical stroke cl of operating link 40 will remain unchanged. However, any horizontal movement of link 40 at point 98b will now be prevented due to the fact that the lower connecting rod 96b is now pivotally secured via yoke member to the fixed axis of lower cross bolt 10%.

With this downward shift, the horizontal stroke of the upper end of link member 40 and carryover rack 33 will be increased to a distance s thus causing the carryover rack to move through a continuous circular path p having a diameter equal to both the vertical stroke d and the distance between every other notch on the fixed and movable cooling bed racks. Operation through the expanded horizontal stroke s will result in larger pieces of stock such as the channels 136 actually spanning two notches with adequate spacing therebetween. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the back slopes 35a and 37a of teeth 6 30 and 32 on both the fixed and movable racks provide convenient supports for irregularly shaped elements being transferred to every other notch.

In view of the foregoing description, it should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that in broad terms, the present invention is concerned with an arrangement for varying the horizontal stroke of a movable transfer rack supported in part by operating members 40'. To this end, intermediate means are provided for selectively connecting points on the operating members 40 to adjacent support structure 73. In the preferred embodiment disclosed, the intermediate means comprises two connecting links 96a and 9612. However, it should be understood that additional connecting links could be utilized in much the same manner to provide an apparatus with a wider avail- .able range of horizontal strokes. Moreover, a single link could be utilized to connect each operating member to the adjacent support structure. In this case, however, means would have to be provided for vertically shifting the point of pivotal connection between each operating member and its single associated connecting link.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of this disclosure which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. For use in a transfer apparatus having a horizontal fixed rack and a movable rack operating successively along a closed curved path to progressively shift elongated elements forwardly on said fixed rack, means for selectively changing the horizontal stroke of said movable rack comprising: a linkage arrangement supporting said movable rack, a rotating eccentric, said linkage arrangement having at least one operating member pivotally connected at one end to said rotating eccentric and pivotally connected at the opposite end to said movable rack; a stationary support structure positioned adjacent said operating member; link means pivotally connected at one end to said operating member and at the other end to said support structure; and, means for shifting the point of pivotal connection between said link means and said operating member along the length of said operating member.

2. For use with a transfer apparatus having a horizontal fixed rack and a movable rack operating successively along a closed curved path to progressively shift elongated elements along on said fixed rack, means for selectively changing the horizontal stroke of said movable rack comprising: a linkage arrangement supporting said movable rack, a rotating eccentric, said linkage arrangement having at least one operating member pivotally connected at one end to said rotating eccentric .and pivotally connected at the opposite end to said movable rack; a stationary support structure positioned adjacent said operating member; intermediate links pivotally attached to said operating member at spaced points located between the ends thereof, said links extending laterally from said operating member to said support structure; and, shifting means carried by said support structure and operable in combination therewith to pivotally connect any one of said intermediate links to said support structure.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fixed rack is comprised of spaced supports, the upper edge of each said supports being provided with a series of teeth forming element retaining notches therebetween.

4. The apparatus as set-forth in claim 3 wherein said movable rack is provided with speed carryover members interspersed between the supports of said fixed rack, each said carryover members being provided along the upper edge thereof with a series of teeth forming element retaining notches therebetween identical to the notches on said supports.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said linkage arrangement further includes at least one elevati'onal member pivotally connected at one end to said movable rack, the other end of said elevational member being connected through intermediate means to said rotating eccentric, said elevational member cooperating with said operating member to maintain said movable rack parallel with said fixed rack during operation of the appar-atus.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim wherein said elevational and operating members cooperate under the influence of said rotating eccentric to maintain the vertical stroke of said movable rack constant, the said vertical stroke being sufficient to insure that elements engaged by said carryover members are raised above the teeth on said supports during upward movement of said movable rack.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the vertical stroke of said movable rack is equal to the throw of said eccentric.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said shifting means is comprised of a vertically movable slide member, said slide member supporting one end of each said intermediate links in a manner permitting both pivotal and horizontal sliding movement thereof relative to said support structure, a plurality of vertically spaced locking apertures in said support structure, and means for selectively moving said slide member relative to said structure in order to place any one of said intermediate links in pivotal engagement within one of said locking apertures.

9. Apparatus for shifting hot elongated elements laterally from one position to another while maintaining said elements in spaced relationship in order to promote straightness and even cooling thereof, said apparatus comprising in combination: a fixed rack having a plurality of stationary spaced horizontal support members, the said fixed rack having ,an element receiving end adjacent said one position and a delivery end adjacent said other p0sition; a transfer rack having a plurality of spaced carry over members interspersed between the stationary support members of said fixed rack; operating members pivotally connected to one end of said transfer rack, said operating members extending downwardly and having their lower ends connected to eccentrics carried by a common rotatable shaft; elevational members pivotally connected to the other end of said transfer rack, said elevational members extending downwardly and having their lower ends connected through intermediate means to said eccentrics, the said elevational members and operating members cooperating under the influence of said eccentrics during rotation of said shaft to move said transfer rack successively along a closed path having a constant vertical stroke equal to the throw of said eccentrics; and a plurality of means pivotally connected to each said operating members at a plurality of points intermediate the ends thereof, said means being selectively operable to change the horizontal stroke of said transfer rack.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further characterized by each said horizontal support members and said carryover members being provided along the upper edge thereof with a series of teeth forming element re taining notches therebetween.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the change imparted to the horizontal stroke of said transfer rack by operation of said selectively operable means occurs at a multiple of the distance between said element retaining notches.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,486,984 3/1924 McKee 198219 EVON C. BLUNK, Primaiy Examiner.

R. E. AEGERTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FOR USE IN A TRANSFER APPARATUS HAVING A HORIZONTAL FIXED RACK AND A MOVABLE RACK OPERATING SUCCESSIVELY ALONG A CLOSED CURVED PATH TO PROGRESSIVELY SHIFT ELONGATED ELEMENTS FORWARDLY ON SAID FIXED RACK, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CHANGING THE HORIZONTAL STROKE OF SAID MOVABLE RACK COMPRISING: A LINKAGE ARRANGEMENT SUPPORTING SAID MOVABLE RACK, A ROTATING ECCENTRIC, SAID LINKAGE ARRANGEMENT HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPERATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID ROTATING ECCENTRIC AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THE OPPOSITE END OT SAID MOVABLE RACK; A STATIONARY SUPPORT STRUCTURE POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID OPERATING MEMBER; LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID OPERATING MEMBER AND AT THE OTHER END TO SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE; AND, MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE POINT OF PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID LINK MEANS AND SAID OPERATING MEMBER ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID OPERATING MEMBER. 